Housing starts in Canada fell by 6% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 235.9 thousand in March of 2026, contrasting with market expectations that it would rise further to 255 thousand. It was the lowest rate in five months. Starts in urban centers fell to 224 thousand, also the lowest in five months, while rural starts fell to a rate of 11.8 thousand units, the lowest in over one year. source: Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation

Housing Starts in Canada decreased to 235.90 Thousand units in March from 251 Thousand units in February of 2026. Housing Starts in Canada averaged 194.22 Thousand units from 1977 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 321.28 Thousand units in March of 2021 and a record low of 90.70 Thousand units in August of 1982. This page provides the latest reported value for - Canada Housing Starts - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Canada Housing Starts - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on April of 2026.

Housing Starts in Canada decreased to 235.90 Thousand units in March from 251 Thousand units in February of 2026. Housing Starts in Canada is expected to be 250.00 Thousand units by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Canada Housing Starts is projected to trend around 235.00 Thousand units in 2027 and 200.00 Thousand units in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-16 12:15 PM
Housing Starts
Feb 250.9K 240.1K 252.5K 230.0K
2026-04-17 12:15 PM
Housing Starts
Mar 235.9K 251K 255K 230.0K
2026-05-15 12:15 PM
Housing Starts
Apr 235.9K


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average House Prices 659100.00 661900.00 CAD Mar 2026
Building Permits 12094436.00 13210682.00 CAD Thousand Feb 2026
Building Permits MoM -8.40 3.50 percent Feb 2026
Home Ownership Rate 66.70 69.30 percent Dec 2023
Home Sales 35539.00 35680.00 units Mar 2026
New Housing Price Index MoM 0.30 -0.40 percent Feb 2026
New Housing Price Index YoY -2.00 -1.93 percent Dec 2025
Housing Index 121.90 121.50 points Feb 2026
Housing Starts 235.90 251.00 Thousand units Mar 2026
Price to Rent Ratio 124.71 125.50 Dec 2025
Residential Property Prices -3.38 -3.19 Percent Dec 2025


Canada Housing Starts
In Canada, a housing start is defined as the beginning of construction work on the building where the dwelling unit will be located. This can be described in 2 ways: usually, the stage when the concrete has been poured for the whole of the footing around the structure; or an equivalent stage where a basement will not be part of the structure.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
235.90 251.00 321.28 90.70 1977 - 2026 Thousand units Monthly
Volume, SA

News Stream
Canada Housing Starts Unexpectedly Drop to 5-Month Low
Housing starts in Canada fell by 6% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 235.9 thousand in March of 2026, contrasting with market expectations that it would rise further to 255 thousand. It was the lowest rate in five months. Starts in urban centers fell to 224 thousand, also the lowest in five months, while rural starts fell to a rate of 11.8 thousand units, the lowest in over one year.
2026-04-17
Canadian Housing Starts Rise Below Forecasts in February
Housing starts in Canada increased 4.5% in February 2026 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,900 units, up from 240,148 in January, below market expectations of 252,500 units. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 20,400 units. Actual housing starts were up 10% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater. By province, Vancouver recorded a 60% increase in actual starts due to higher multi-unit and single-detached starts. Meanwhile, Toronto declined 28% due to lower multi-unit and single-detached starts.
2026-03-16
Canadian Housing Starts Sink
Housing starts in Canada sank by 15% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted of 238,049 in January of 2026, firmly below market expectations of 263,300, to mark the lowest rate in five months. Urban housing starts in centers with populations over 10,000 people fell by 18.7% to 218,182. In turn, rural starts were estimated at the 20,487 mark.
2026-02-16